How did your state legislators vote?

The 2003 state legislative session was the most successful and significant for the environment in many years. Many key environmental bills were passed by the legislature and signed by the governor. But how well did your representatives vote?

Sierra Club California has rated legislators' voting records on Sierra Club's most important floor votes of 2003; these are all bills that the Club supported. A high score indicates high commitment to supporting the environmental position. Nine of these 10 bills have been signed into law. The 10th (AB 1006) is still under legislative review in committee this year.

The ten bills are:

AB 302 (Chan) - phases out the use of two out of the three most toxic fire retardants;
AB 10x (Oropeza) - establishes a regulatory fee structure that ensures that those who pollute our air and water will bear the full cost of regulation;
AB 1006 (Chu) - prohibits the use of the most toxic pesticides in schools;
SB 20 (Sher) - provides for convenient recycling of cathode-ray-tube monitors in California;
SB 810 (Burton) - gives the regional water-quality control boards the authority to block the approval of logging plans that would violate water-quality standards;
SB 700 (Florez) - repeals the current agricultural exemption on air-quality permits;
SB 705 (Florez) - phases out the burning of agricultural waste in the San Joaquin Valley;
SB 923 (Sher) - authorizes the State Water Resources Control Board or a regional water-quality control board to waive waste-discharge requirements if certain conditions are met;
SB 288 (Sher) - locks in place California's more stringent air-quality regulations in the face of rollbacks by the Bush administration;
SB 656 (Sher) - requires the Air Resources Board to increase regulation of the most dangerous airborne particulate matter.

All of the Bay Chapter's state senators: John Burton (D-3), Tom Torlakson (D-7), Jackie Speier (D-8), Don Perata (D-9), and Liz Figueroa (D-10) scored 100%. The scores for our assemblymembers are:

Joe Nation D-6) 100
Joe Canciamilla (D-11) 60
Leland Yee (D-12) 90
Mark Leno (D-13) 100
Loni Hancock (D-14) 100
Guy Houston (R-15) 0
Wilma Chan (D-16) 100
Ellen Corbett (D-18) 100
John Dutra (D-20) 70

Contact your representatives and tell them how you feel about their votes on these critical environmental issues. You have the power to bring about change.

To find out who your legislators are and learn how they voted on each bill, visit: www.sierraclubcalifornia.org

Sierra Club California promotes the preservation, restoration, and enjoyment of California's environment, and enables chapters to speak as one voice in California's state capital.

Help protect California's environment by joining the on-line California Legislative Action Network. Join at: http://cal-legalert.sierraclubaction.org

Once signed up, you will receive up-to-the minute e-mailed alerts on key environmental legislation and regulations. By following the link in the alert to the Action Network web site, you will find background information on the issue and an editable letter that will be e-mailed or faxed automatically to your representative. Sign up today!

Arthur Murrillo, Sierra Club California intern